Urine or stool sample collector

ABSTRACT

A liquid impervious bag that fits inside a toilet bowl and is secured to an outer rim edge of the toilet bowl to provide for the collection of human waste.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a liquid impervious bag for collection of urineor stool samples of human beings or animals.

Currently the collection of human waste samples is done in smallcontainers (usually jars) which have to be held by a patient with onehand while the patient fills the container with human waste. The fillingof such containers without splashing waste about the container or ontoone's hand holding the container can be difficult.

The current invention provides a hygienic waste container which iseasier to use and which eliminates human waste from contacting theoutside of the container or the hands of the user.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a fluid impervious bag for use as a human waste samplecollector;

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the bag of FIG. 1, wherein an elasticband is provided to secure the bag around the toilet bowl rim;

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the bag of FIG. 1, wherein a hook andloop type fastener is provided to secure the bag around the toilet bowlrim;

FIG. 4 shows a toilet;

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the bag of FIG. 1, wherein the bag has aslot to allow the bag to pass over the toilet seat;

FIG. 6 shows the bag of FIG. 1 inserted into a toilet bowl;

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the bag of FIG. 1 where a glove is madeintegral with the bag; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the bag of FIG. 1 provided with a spoon and coverattached thereto. In FIG. 8 the spoon is shown partially incross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 4 shows a toilet 10 having a toilet bowl portion 12, a water tankportion 14, a toilet lid 16, a rim 18 and with an inward facing cavity20. FIG. 1 shows a water impervious sample collector bag 30 having abottom portion 32, an upper portion 34 and with an opening 36 leadinginto the interior of the bag 30. The bag 30 can be made from a plasticmaterial, a rubber material or any other material (cloth or paper)treated to become water impervious so as to allow liquid to be collectedinside the bag.

In use, the bag 10 is inserted within the toilet bowl 12 into the cavity20 as shown in FIG. 6. The upper end 34 of the bag 30 is stretched overand around a portion of the rim 18 of the toilet bowl 12 to hang belowthe rim 18 and to frictionally engage the bowl to secure the bag in thetoilet bowl 12.

One way to secure the bag would be to have at least the upper portion ofthe bag 34 be elastic so it could be stretched over a portion of the rim18 and down the outside of the bowl 12. The toilet seat 16 would notallow for complete coverage of the rim 18, but such a complete coveringis not essential. All that is needed is more than half of the opening becovered. An added feature could be provided by constructing the bag 30with a slot 40. If the bag 30 had this feature, the toilet seat could bepushed through the slot which would then allow the top portion 34 of thebag 30 to completely surround the toilet rim 18 and the hinge portion 40of the seat 16.

Rather than have the top portion 34 of the bag 30 being elastic, anelastic band such as a rubber band 44 (see FIG. 2) could be utilize tohold the upper portion 34 of the bag 30 around the outer rim 18 of thetoilet bowl 12. This rubber band could be formed as a hem to the upperportion 34 of the bag (similarly to an elastic waist band in pants orunderwear). Alternatively the band could be a belt 46 with a hook andloop fastener. As the outer circumference of a toilet bowl (below therim 18) is more narrow than the rim 18 the belt need not be elastic. Thebelt could have the hooks and loops on opposite end portions, oralternatively one of the hook or loop portions could be on a pad 48attached to the bag 30.

An additional feature of the bag 30 could be a reduced cross-sectionportion 50 at the bottom of the bag 30 to concentrate the collectionarea of the waste. This would make it easier to remove the bag 30 fromthe toilet bowl 12 and make it easier to create a tie in the neck of theupper portion 34 of the bag 30 to avoid sloshing out of collected bodilywastes.

Alternatively the elastic band 44 or belt 46 could be used to tie thebag 30 after removal from the toilet bowl 12.

While normally the bag 30 would be to collect urine, it could also beused to collect fecal stools. To assist in such an operation the bag 30could be formed with a glove 50 (see FIG. 7) portion, opened to theoutside at 52, to permit someone to insert a hand into the glove 50 andreach into the bag 30 to remove fecal matter.

Alternatively, a spoon 60 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) could be attached to thebag 30 by a hook and loop fastener 64 which spoon 60 could be used tolife out fecal material. The spoon 60 would have a deep bowl 62 tocapture the fecal material. A cover 66 for the spoon 60 could beprovided which would slide on track 88 entering slot 70 in the cover 66to entrap any fecal matter collected in the bowl 62. The spoon 60 andcover 62 could be made of plastic. In place of a hook and loop attachedspoon 60, a set of tweezers could be attached to the bag 30.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way ofillustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way oflimitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to belimited only by the terms of the appended claims.

1 A human waster sample collector comprising: a liquid impervious baghaving a closed bottom portion and an top portion; the closed bottomportion sized to be fittable into a toilet bowl; the top portion of asize to extend above a rim of the toilet bowl when the bottom portion isfitted within the toilet bowl; the top portion having a opening leadinginto the bag; the opening configured to have a cross-sectional area atleast equal to the opening of a rim of the toilet bowl; and wherein thetop portion is configured to be secured about an outer edge of thetoilet bowl rim. 2 The sample collector of claim 1 wherein the bag isprovided with a narrowing area at its bottom portion. 3 The samplecollector of claim 1 wherein at least the top portion of the bag iselastic to allow it to at least stretch about most of the circumferenceof the rim of the toilet bowl to be secured thereto by its elasticity.4. The sample collector of claim 2 wherein at least the top portion ofthe bag is elastic to allow it to at least stretch about most of thecircumference of the rim of the toilet bowl to be secured thereto by itselasticity. 5 The sample collector of claim 1 wherein the bag is madefrom elastic material. 6 The sample collector of claim 2 wherein the bagis made from elastic material. 7 The sample collector of claim 3 whereinthe bag is made from elastic material. 8 The sample collector of claim 4wherein the bag is made from elastic material. 9 The sample collector ofclaim 1 wherein the bag is provided with banded element of a size thatcan fit around the rim of the toilet bowl and shortened to cause the topportion of the bag extending over the toilet bowl rim to be squeezedagainst the outside of the toilet bowl below the rim for securing of thetop portion to the toilet bowl. 10 The sample collector of claim 2wherein the bag is provided with banded element of a size that can fitaround the rim of the toilet bowl and shortened to cause the top portionof the bag extending over the toilet bowl rim to be squeezed against theoutside of the toilet bowl below the rim for securing of the top portionto the toilet bowl. 11 The sample collector of claim 9 wherein the bandis elastic. 12 The sample collector of claim 10 wherein the band iselastic. 13 The sample collector of claim 9 wherein the band is providedwith a hook and loop type fastener to provide the securement of top endof the bag about an outer edge of the toilet bowl rim. 14 The samplecollector of claim 10 wherein the band is provided with a hook and looptype fastener to provide the securement of top end of the bag about anouter edge of the toilet bowl rim. 15 The sample collector of claim 1wherein the upper portion of the bag is slotted with a hole toaccommodate passage of a toilet seat therethrough. 16 The samplecollector of claim 2 wherein the upper portion of the bag is slottedwith a hole to accommodate passage of a toilet seat therethrough. 17 Thesample collector of claim 3 wherein the upper portion of the bag isslotted with a hole to accommodate passage of a toilet seattherethrough. 18 The sample collector of claim 4 wherein the upperportion of the bag is slotted with a hole to accommodate passage of atoilet seat therethrough. 19 The sample collector of claim 5 wherein theupper portion of the bag is slotted with a hole to accommodate passageof a toilet seat therethrough. 20 The sample collector of claim 11wherein the upper portion of the bag is slotted with a hole toaccommodate passage of a toilet seat therethrough. 21 The samplecollector of claim 13 wherein the upper portion of the bag is slottedwith a hole to accommodate passage of a toilet seat therethrough. 22 Thesample collector of claim 1 wherein a fecal collector is attached to thebag. 23 The sample collector of claim 3 wherein a fecal collector isattached to the bag. 24 The sample collector of claim 9 wherein a fecalcollector is attached to the bag. 25 The sample collector of claim 13wherein a fecal collector is attached to the bag. 26 The samplecollector of claim 15 wherein a fecal collector is attached to the bag.